The present disclosure relates to an embroidery data generating device and a computer-readable medium that stores an embroidery data generating program that generate embroidery data to sew an embroidery pattern using an embroidery sewing machine.
An embroidery data generating apparatus is known that acquires image data from an image such as a photo or an illustration etc. and generates embroidery data to be used to sew an embroidery pattern based on the image data. In the embroidery data generating apparatus, the embroidery data is generated using the following procedure. First, based on the image data, line segment data pieces are generated that indicate shapes and relative positions of stitches. Then, thread color data is allocated to each of the line segment data pieces. The thread color data indicates a color of each of the stitches. Next, if a same thread color is allocated to a plurality of line segment data pieces representing a plurality of line segments, connecting line segment data is generated that indicates at least one connecting line segment that connects the plurality of line segments. If stitches formed on the connecting line segment are to be covered by other stitches that are sewn later, needle drop point data is generated that causes a running stitch to be stitched on the connecting line segment. Then, the embroidery data is generated that indicates a sewing order, the thread color, the needle drop points and a stitch type.
In order to accurately express the image by the embroidery pattern, it is preferable for sewing to be performed using threads of colors that are included in the image data. However, the colors of commercially available threads are limited, and it may not possible to prepare threads of all the colors included in the image data. Taking into account a burden on a user to prepare the threads, and time and effort to replace thread at the time of sewing, it is preferable for a small number of thread colors to be used in the sewing. Therefore, the embroidery data generating apparatus represents the colors of the image with a small number of thread colors by color mixing sewing with a plurality of threads with different colors when sewing a specific area. For example, by forming red stitches and yellow stitches in the specific area, the specific area as a whole represents orange.